​There are many reasons why I continue to appreciate video production. One of the main reasons is that I love what I do. The passion I have for video production is at an all-time high, and I have been doing this for over fifteen years. Each time I get behind the camera it allows me to learn and grow as a videographer. You would think that the love affair would be over by now. I continue to learn new ways to do things such as lighting interviews more creatively, using artistic sound to tell stories, the list goes on and on. The thing is…I continue to learn, and when you continue to learn you continue to grow in your craft.
Secondly, I love to tell people stories. If done correctly, stories about people can be very impactful. The viewer can relate to an individual’s story. When I was a photojournalist for the news stations I always wanted to dive deeper into the stories that we were covering. I wanted to explore more ideas, and get to the bottom of the story. Well, in the news business the clock is always ticking away and you must be fast. There is not enough time to dive deep into stories because of the many time constraints. You are told your story for the day and you have just a few hours to shoot, interview and edit before the story goes on the air.
I now get the time to immerse myself into the stories that I cover. Time is still an issue but not like it was before. There have been days where I do several interviews and get broll footage the following day. This allows me to get the sound I need to tell the story, and it gives me the chance to interview an array of people who are involved. When you get a chance to explore a story more in depth, you can tell the person or organization’s story the way it deserves to be told.
Stories that have meaning motivate me. I have covered stories about sex-trafficking, cancer issues, community involvement and others. I feel privileged and honored to help tell these stories. I say help to the stories because without you, there wouldn’t be a story. My job is to tell your story by using my video production background in a way that impacts the lives of others in a positive way. Check our work out at www.jeffreycookvideography.com